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Duck Tape was, as it always is tendin’ to be these days, loud. Noisy in the best of ways, all his favorite patrons huddled together at the bar and in their booths. Folks new and old are sippin’ on warm drinks to combat the chill of the West Virginia winter outside, admirin’ the general décor of the place. Anytime someone asks him how the hell he managed to spruce the ol’ place up so well, he blushes and sticks a thumb out to you, where you’re laughin’ and talkin’ with some of your friends.
Clyde had asked you to come on over earlier in the month to put up some decorations to get DT in the holiday spirit. You had been ecstatic to help, and had shown up with dozens of boxes of lights and chalk paint for the windows. The both of y’all even went out to the local tree farm and picked up a real live fraser fir.
Yep, the place was picture perfect, but somethin’ in your eyes had made him real sad, that sinkin’ feeling in his chest creepin’ outta him.
“What’s the matter?” He had asked you when all was said and done and Duck Tape looked like a winter wonderland, “Don’t ya like it? Is it missin’ somethin’?”
“It’s beautiful, Clyde.” You had smiled sheepishly at him, “It’s just…well, d’ya think we could maybe have a menorah up somewhere? I’ll put it out of the way so no one goes causin’ any trouble.”
“No,” Clyde had frowned then – thinkin’ about the trouble that you’re talking to. Your face falls, mistakin’ his no for a real no, which has him bitin’ his lip hard and shakin’ his head, “No we ain’t gonna hide it. We’ll put it right in the window where it’s supposed to be.”
“Really?” Your eyes had gone so wide, surprised and filled with hope.
“You bet,” Clyde nodded, already pickin’ out the best window for it, the one that faces the parkin’ lot so everyone on the street will be able to see, “And if there’s anybody who wants to say somethin’ about it, they can say so to me. You hear me?”
“Loud and clear honey.” You had grinned, and on the very first night of Hanukkah, the menorah had shown up and was placed right in the window, just like Clyde had promised.
Now there hadn’t been much trouble at all, to both of your relief. Even now, on the seventh night with the holiday almost over, no one had given it so much as a dirty look. In fact, turns out that there were a handful of Jewish folk who frequented the bar whose whole faces lit up when they say it. To say that it filled Clyde’s heart with even more holiday cheer was an understatement.
Thinkin’ about all of this has him searchin’ the bar for you, because somewhere in all his daydreamin’ you had gotten up from your spot with all your friends. Frowinin’, Clyde’s eyes scan the booths until he sees your pretty face through the window. You had gone outside to look at the candles, and Clyde itches to join you – so he does.
“Mighty chilly out here,” Clyde says, stickin’ his hand in his pocket and sidlin’ up to you real close.
“Yeah, it was just gettin’ too loud in there.” You reply, tilting your head to rest it on him, softly sayin’ “Thank you.”
Clyde wraps his other arm around your shoulders and tucks you close to his chest, takin’ in a deep breath and watching as the exhale comes out in great big plumes of steam.
You chuckle, your arms winding around his thick waist in a big bear hug.
He didn’t know too much ‘bout the holiday, hadn’t really paid too much attention growin’ up to it. But seein’ you by the glow of the candlelight, all bundled up in your sweater lookin’ so pretty – when he catches your smile with his lips and kisses the love into ya, well.
He thinks there ain’t no better time to get learnin’, than today.